Submitting supporting information

We require documents in support of your application so if you are applying online you can upload these. Please provide the following:

• Two references - for further information see the references section;
• University degree transcripts to date (transcripts are documents showing your grades for individual units/essays/exams throughout your degree);
• University degree certificate;
• English language certificate (if your first language is not English). See information on Language Certificates for further information

Some programmes require additional documents; research applications may need a research proposal. You should check the Admissions Statement for your programme to make sure.

We accept certified copies of documents. This is particularly relevant for international applicants who need to retain originals for visa purposes.

If you have not yet graduated, please apply as usual. When possible, please indicate your anticipated final grade on your application form. If an offer of study is made, it may be conditional on obtaining the minimum required final grade in your degree. You will need to include transcripts to date (e.g. if you are a third year student, please include transcripts from your first and second years).

Degree certificate or transcripts

We will need your degree certificate and transcripts in order to make a decision on your application. If you are missing these documents, you must obtain another copy (or a letter confirming your award and final grade, in the case of a degree certificate). You can request such documents from your University, though some Universities may charge.

References

We need two references in support of your application, for a decision. Applications received without references will not be processed.

Language certificate

Please see the Language Certificates section for more details.

Certified copies

If you are submitting hard copies of your documents, you may submit a certified copy instead of the original. A certified copy is one that has been approved as a true copy by a relevant authority. You can ask your University to provide this for you. Alternatively, you can have a solicitor, your local British Council or relevant authority, certify documents for you.

Supporting documents should be uploaded with the rest of your application. If this is not possible, please submit your documents separately, by email. You need to include your full name, date of birth, applicant ID number and the name of the programme you are applying for; and submit your documents to the relevant faculty or school.

Uploading documents

Please see our Frequently asked questions page for advice on uploading your documents.

There are several ways you can provide references:

Uploading a reference you already have

If you already have a reference, you can upload it in 'References Section 1' of the application form. Please also complete the referee's details in this section. Select the 'Referee List' button to enter the details and indicate that the referee will NOT be submitting your reference online.

Electronic submission

You can ask a referee to provide a reference online, provided they have an email address. Select the 'Referee List' option to enter the details of your referees, indicating they will be submitting a reference online.

To follow

Please include your references along with your application form and other supporting documents, where possible. You may submit your references separately however, either by post or email. You will still need to complete the referee's details in this section and indicate that the referee will NOT be submitting your reference online. You can download a copy of our reference form in the 'Downloadable Forms' section. You will need to send your reference to the Faculty to which you are applying.

• Select the 'Referee List' button in the 'References Section 2' area of the application form.
• Insert the name and contact information of each referee.
• If you want to ask a referee to submit a reference online, you must enter a valid email address for this referee and indicate that they will be submitting their letter of reference online.
• Once the referee's details are saved, an email will be sent to them with an access code and instructions on how to proceed with the process.
• You can view the status of your online references when you log into your application account.

Most of our postgraduate programmes will not consider applications until references have been submitted, so referees' details must be correct. It is your responsibility to ensure that we receive your references.

The University of Bristol may not be able to make a decision on your application without two references. It is your responsibility to ensure that your references are received.

Please, also note the following:

• Your online reference will automatically be matched to your application upon submission;
• A referee's access code is valid for 180 days from the date you input their information;
• To complete the reference online, a referee must have a current email address.

If you would like to send a reminder to a referee, check the box next to his/her name and select the 'resend' button in the references section of the application form.